Scottish Executive

Car Parks

Dorothy-Grace Elder (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to take any action on the recommendations of the report by the Institution of Civil Engineers, Inspection of Multi-Storey Car Parks , which recommends that all owners of car parks over 12 years old should engage an engineer to carry out an inspection.

Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive will be maintaining a watching brief on the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions (DETR) project Enhancement of Whole Life Performance of Existing and Future Car Parks .  This project, which started in January 2001, aims to provide rigorous analysis of car park performance to inform the development of the guidance currently being produced by both the Institution of Civil Engineers and the Institution of Structural Engineers.

Child Employment

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to ensure that children in the workforce are not exploited.

Nicol Stephen: Existing legislation and regulations already cover matters such as the ages at which children can work, the length of time they can work, and the types of work that they can undertake. Most recently we laid the Children (Protection at Work) (Scotland) Regulations 2000 in May 2000. These raised to thirteen the minimum age at which children may be employed in light agricultural or horticultural work and stipulated that persons taking part in performances of a dangerous nature must be aged at least sixteen, in addition (as previously) to being over compulsory school age.

Children and Young People

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the experience of the National Advocacy Co-ordinator (NAC) for residential schools, what plans it has to introduce NACs in relation to children and young people for through care and after care, foster care and special needs education.

Nicol Stephen: We have no such plans at the present time.

  A network of advocacy services for children and young people looked after away from home is currently provided by local authorities in Scotland through joint working with Who Cares? Scotland and the deployment of children’s rights workers. The Scottish Executive provides grant funding to Who Cares? Scotland and additional targeted funding to local authorities to assist with the provision of this service.

Climate Change Levy

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the economic impact of the Climate Change Levy on the business sector.

Rhona Brankin: The Climate Change Levy is a reserved matter. However the UK Government’s assessment is that its impact on business will be broadly neutral.

Elderly People

Ben Wallace (North-East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many elderly people in Scotland are currently receiving long-term care.

Malcolm Chisholm: The latest information about various long-term care arrangements for older people in Scotland relates to 31 March 2000:-

  An estimated 8,940 people aged 65+ are receiving intensive home care services (defined for this purpose as being in receipt of more than 10 hours service per week).

  There were 13,160 residents aged 65 years and over in Residential Care Homes.

  There were 18,353 residents, aged 65 and over, in private nursing homes in Scotland.

  Provisional information shows that there were 4,415 residents, aged 65 and over, receiving long stay NHS hospital care in the specialty of Geriatric Medicine.

  Provisional information shows that there were 5,127 residents, aged 65 and over, in mental illness or learning disability specialties in NHS Hospitals in Scotland. These specialties are not specifically for patients receiving long term care. However, of the residents at 31 March 2000, 3,783 (73.8%) had been resident for 6 months or more.

Energy

Mr Andrew Welsh (Angus) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures are being taken to encourage the use of hydrogen as a source of fuel for heating, power generation and transport.

Rhona Brankin: Responsibility for policy and funding of research and development into new renewables technologies is a reserved matter. The development and demonstration of fuel cells as a source of heating, in power generation and in transport were included in DTI’s most recent call for proposals for support under its New and Renewable Energy Programme. The total funding under the Programme available amounts to £12m.

Film Industry

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many films were shot on location in Scotland in 1999-2000 as a result of the funding made available by its Education Department, as highlighted in note 25.5 of Scottish Executive Resource Accounts 1999-2000, and whether it has any estimate of the number of films shot as a result of such funding in 2000-01.

Allan Wilson: There were seven feature films, three television films and one Imax (large format) film shot in Scotland in 1999. In 2000 three feature films and one television film were wholly, and ten films partly, shot in Scotland; three feature films have been or are being shot in 2001. The Education Department does not provide any funding direct to film-makers, but funds Scottish Screen which provides locations advice and is now the distributor for National Lottery funds for film production.

Foot-and-Mouth Disease

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider increasing its estimated contribution of £3.5 million to the cost of meeting a rates relief scheme for businesses affected by the foot-and-mouth disease outbreak and, if so, what sum it will make available for such an increase.

Angus MacKay: We will meet 95% of the cost of providing hardship relief from rates for businesses affected by the foot-and-mouth outbreak occupying property with a rateable value up to £12,000 in 17 rural local authority areas. We will also fund 75% of the cost of providing such relief for larger businesses and those in other areas. However, the scheme is not cash limited and its terms will be kept under review.

Foot-and-Mouth Disease

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the rates relief scheme for businesses affected by the foot-and-mouth disease outbreak is to be granted by local authorities under the terms of the Local Government Finance Act 1966 and, if not, on what statutory basis the scheme rests.

Angus MacKay: Local authorities have the power to remit rates on account of hardship in accordance with section 25A of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1966 as inserted by section 156 of the Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994.

Foot-and-Mouth Disease

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how the term "boundary" is defined when determining whether a farm is contiguous to one where an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease has been identified and whether intervening water, woods or wasteland are disregarded.

Ross Finnie: The first step is to consult detailed local maps which set out individual farm boundaries and identify those farms which are next to infected premises. All the local factors, including separation distances due to intervening water, woods and wasteland are then considered before a decision is taken on whether or not animals on contiguous premises need to be culled.

Foot-and-Mouth Disease

Dorothy-Grace Elder (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has studied the Irish Department of Tourism, Sport and Recreation’s aid schemes to farmers and specifically the grants made available for farms to create shops, cafes or other tourist attractions and whether it plans to adopt a similar scheme to assist farmers in Scotland after the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease.

Ross Finnie: It is already a well-established policy objective for the Executive to provide financial support to farming and crofting families for the creation of new income-generating enterprises, or the expansion of existing diversified businesses. Grant schemes have been available for some time to provide assistance for a wide range of diversification options, including those referred to in the Question, and support for marketing and training is available as an integrated package. More recently, a new Highlands and Islands Agricultural Business Development Scheme has been launched and we will launch shortly the Farm Business Development Scheme, which will provide similar support for diversification activities in rural areas outwith the Highlands and Islands.

Gaelic

Mr John Farquhar Munro (Ross, Skye and Inverness West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what formal communication links have been established between it and the Gaelic Task Force.

Mr Alasdair Morrison: Officials of the Scottish Executive provide support for and attend meetings of the Gaelic Advisory Group, chaired by Professor Donald Meek. I attended the first meeting of the Group on 21 March 2001.

General Practitioners

Mr Duncan Hamilton (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the decision on new contractual arrangements for GPs referred to in Our National Health Plan: A plan for action, a plan for change will be made on a Scottish or UK-wide basis.

Susan Deacon: Decisions on contractual arrangements for GPs are taken in close consultation with colleagues in all the other UK Health Departments.

Health

Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many children in each age cohort have received a BCG vaccination in each of the last two years and what percentage these figures represent of the school population in each cohort, broken down by health board.

Malcolm Chisholm: This information is not available in the precise form requested. But the following four tables show:

  the number of children recorded as being vaccinated, by age group, in each health board area for 1998 and 1999; and

  the percentage of those in each age group who responded to the offer of BCG in these years.

  


Health Board 
  

Age and Number of Pupils Vaccinated at 30 
  June 1998 
  



 


Under 10 
  

10 
  

11 
  

12 
  

13 
  

14 
  

15 
  

16 
  

Over 16 
  

Total 
  



Argyll & Clyde 
  

86 
  

2 
  

38 
  

219 
  

205 
  

1,551 
  

64 
  

25 
  

5 
  

2,195 
  



Ayrshire & Arran 
  

0 
  

0 
  

0 
  

0 
  

0 
  

4,032 
  

133 
  

22 
  

14 
  

4,201 
  



Borders 
  

0 
  

0 
  

0 
  

0 
  

198 
  

879 
  

47 
  

7 
  

4 
  

1,135 
  



Dumfries & Galloway 
  

0 
  

0 
  

0 
  

0 
  

121 
  

1,249 
  

124 
  

15 
  

1 
  

1,510 
  



Fife 
  

0 
  

0 
  

0 
  

576 
  

3,296 
  

241 
  

47 
  

32 
  

4 
  

4,196 
  



Forth Valley 
  

0 
  

0 
  

0 
  

0 
  

405 
  

2,092 
  

226 
  

58 
  

35 
  

2,816 
  



Grampian 
  

14 
  

1 
  

1 
  

0 
  

674 
  

4,167 
  

599 
  

97 
  

28 
  

5,581 
  



Greater Glasgow 
  

3 
  

0 
  

1 
  

1 
  

1,122 
  

6,071 
  

304 
  

69 
  

45 
  

7,616 
  



Highland 
  

2 
  

0 
  

79 
  

682 
  

1,243 
  

142 
  

46 
  

11 
  

10 
  

2,215 
  



Lanarkshire 
  

0 
  

0 
  

0 
  

1 
  

905 
  

4,788 
  

224 
  

22 
  

8 
  

5,948 
  



Lothian 
  

0 
  

0 
  

0 
  

0 
  

231 
  

5,069 
  

395 
  

76 
  

28 
  

5,799 
  



Orkney 
  

2 
  

0 
  

0 
  

0 
  

0 
  

249 
  

3 
  

0 
  

2 
  

256 
  



Shetland 
  

0 
  

0 
  

0 
  

0 
  

38 
  

227 
  

10 
  

2 
  

0 
  

277 
  



Tayside 
  

0 
  

0 
  

0 
  

1 
  

442 
  

3,854 
  

277 
  

66 
  

25 
  

4,665 
  



Western Isles 
  

0 
  

1 
  

321 
  

12 
  

2 
  

2 
  

4 
  

2 
  

0 
  

344 
  



Scotland 
  

107 
  

4 
  

440 
  

1,492 
  

8,882 
  

34,613 
  

2,503 
  

504 
  

209 
  

48,754 
  



  


Percentage of children, by age, who took 
  up offer of BCG in 1998 
  



Under 10 
  

10 
  

11 
  

12 
  

13 
  

14 
  

15 
  

16 
  

Over 16 
  

Total 
  



 100.0 
  

100.0 
  

100.0 
  

100.0 
  

 92.3 
  

 97.7 
  

 92.8 
  

 89.3 
  

 83.3 
  

 97.2 
  



- 
  

- 
  

- 
  

- 
  

- 
  

 100.0 
  

100.0 
  

100.0 
  

 100.0 
  

 100.0 
  



- 
  

- 
  

- 
  

- 
  

 100.0 
  

 99.9 
  

100.0 
  

100.0 
  

 100.0 
  

 99.9 
  



- 
  

- 
  

- 
  

- 
  

 52.6 
  

 94.3 
  

 89.9 
  

 88.2 
  

 100.0 
  

 88.3 
  



- 
  

- 
  

- 
  

100.0 
  

 99.8 
  

 100.0 
  

100.0 
  

 97.0 
  

 100.0 
  

 99.8 
  



- 
  

- 
  

- 
  

- 
  

 100.0 
  

 100.0 
  

100.0 
  

100.0 
  

 100.0 
  

 100.0 
  



 100.0 
  

100.0 
  

100.0 
  

- 
  

 97.7 
  

 99.0 
  

 97.7 
  

 97.0 
  

 90.3 
  

 98.8 
  



 100.0 
  

- 
  

100.0 
  

100.0 
  

 100.0 
  

 100.0 
  

100.0 
  

100.0 
  

 100.0 
  

 100.0 
  



 100.0 
  

- 
  

100.0 
  

 93.6 
  

 91.2 
  

 67.0 
  

 76.7 
  

 68.8 
  

 71.4 
  

 89.5 
  



- 
  

- 
  

- 
  

100.0 
  

 99.8 
  

 99.9 
  

 99.6 
  

 88.0 
  

 100.0 
  

 99.8 
  



- 
  

- 
  

- 
  

- 
  

 100.0 
  

 99.3 
  

 98.8 
  

100.0 
  

 100.0 
  

 99.3 
  



- 
  

- 
  

- 
  

- 
  

- 
  

 99.2 
  

100.0 
  

- 
  

 100.0 
  

 100.0 
  



- 
  

- 
  

- 
  

- 
  

 97.4 
  

 100.0 
  

100.0 
  

100.0 
  

- 
  

 100.0 
  



- 
  

- 
  

- 
  

100.0 
  

 100.0 
  

 99.2 
  

 88.2 
  

 97.1 
  

 96.2 
  

 98.9 
  



- 
  

100.0 
  

100.0 
  

100.0 
  

 100.0 
  

 100.0 
  

100.0 
  

100.0 
  

- 
  

 100.0 
  



 100.0 
  

100.0 
  

100.0 
  

 97.7 
  

 97.1 
  

 99.3 
  

 96.5 
  

 96.4 
  

 97.2 
  

 98.7 
  



  


Health Board 
  

Age and Number of Pupils Vaccinated at 30 
  June 1999 
  



 


Under 10 
  

10 
  

11 
  

12 
  

13 
  

14 
  

15 
  

16 
  

Over 16 
  

Total 
  



Argyll & Clyde 
  

0 
  

0 
  

45 
  

244 
  

355 
  

1,786 
  

90 
  

17 
  

6 
  

2,543 
  



Ayrshire & Arran 
  

0 
  

0 
  

0 
  

0 
  

0 
  

4,171 
  

152 
  

23 
  

2 
  

4,348 
  



Borders 
  

0 
  

0 
  

0 
  

0 
  

157 
  

920 
  

56 
  

7 
  

9 
  

1,149 
  



Dumfries & Galloway 
  

4 
  

0 
  

1 
  

1 
  

191 
  

1,037 
  

112 
  

10 
  

0 
  

1,356 
  



Fife 
  

0 
  

0 
  

0 
  

498 
  

3,117 
  

223 
  

44 
  

25 
  

5 
  

3,912 
  



Forth Valley 
  

0 
  

0 
  

0 
  

0 
  

378 
  

2,219 
  

242 
  

67 
  

25 
  

2,931 
  



Grampian 
  

8 
  

0 
  

0 
  

0 
  

566 
  

3,654 
  

600 
  

78 
  

34 
  

4,940 
  



Greater Glasgow 
  

5 
  

0 
  

0 
  

0 
  

849 
  

4,614 
  

309 
  

73 
  

40 
  

5,890 
  



Highland 
  

0 
  

0 
  

0 
  

219 
  

1,696 
  

1,077 
  

125 
  

30 
  

22 
  

3,169 
  



Lanarkshire 
  

0 
  

0 
  

0 
  

0 
  

921 
  

4,540 
  

138 
  

16 
  

2 
  

5,617 
  



Lothian 


0 
  

0 
  

0 
  

0 
  

220 
  

1,431 
  

133 
  

14 
  

0 
  

5,579* 
  



Orkney 
  

1 
  

0 
  

0 
  

0 
  

0 
  

267 
  

0 
  

0 
  

0 
  

268 
  



Shetland 
  

0 
  

0 
  

0 
  

0 
  

35 
  

216 
  

8 
  

4 
  

1 
  

264 
  



Tayside 
  

3 
  

0 
  

0 
  

0 
  

425 
  

3,300 
  

252 
  

57 
  

21 
  

4,058 
  



Western Isles 
  

0 
  

1 
  

327 
  

24 
  

1 
  

1 
  

5 
  

4 
  

2 
  

365 
  



Scotland 
  

21 
  

1 
  

373 
  

986 
  

8,911 
  

29,456 
  

2,266 
  

425 
  

169 
  

46,389 
  



  


Percentage of children, by age, who took up offer of BCG 
  



Under 10 
  

10 
  

11 
  

12 
  

13 
  

14 
  

15 
  

16 
  

Over 16 
  

Total 
  



- 
  

- 
  

100.0 
  

100.0 
  

100.0 
  

 99.8 
  

 98.9 
  

100.0 
  

 100.0 
  

 99.8 
  



- 
  

- 
  

- 
  

- 
  

- 
  

100.0 
  

100.0 
  

100.0 
  

 100.0 
  

 100.0 
  



- 
  

- 
  

- 
  

- 
  

100.0 
  

100.0 
  

100.0 
  

100.0 
  

 100.0 
  

 100.0 
  



 80.0 
  

- 
  

- 
  

100.0 
  

100.0 
  

100.0 
  

100.0 
  

100.0 
  

- 
  

 100.0 
  



- 
  

- 
  

 99.8 
  

 99.8 
  

 99.1 
  

100.0 
  

100.0 
  

100.0 
  

 100.0 
  

 99.8 
  



- 
  

- 
  

- 
  

- 
  

100.0 
  

100.0 
  

100.0 
  

100.0 
  

 100.0 
  

 100.0 
  



 100.0 
  

- 
  

- 
  

- 
  

 99.6 
  

 99.3 
  

 99.3 
  

 90.7 
  

 97.1 
  

 99.3 
  



 100.0 
  

- 
  

- 
  

- 
  

100.0 
  

100.0 
  

100.0 
  

100.0 
  

 100.0 
  

 100.0 
  



- 
  

- 
  

- 
  

 98.6 
  

100.0 
  

 99.7 
  

100.0 
  

100.0 
  

 91.7 
  

 99.9 
  



- 
  

- 
  

- 
  

- 
  

100.0 
  

100.0 
  

100.0 
  

100.0 
  

 100.0 
  

 100.0 
  



- 
  

- 
  

- 
  

- 
  

100.0 
  

 98.8 
  

100.0 
  

100.0 
  

- 
  

 98.4 
  



 100.0 
  

- 
  

- 
  

- 
  

- 
  

100.0 
  

- 
  

- 
  

- 
  

 100.0 
  



- 
  

- 
  

- 
  

- 
  

100.0 
  

 99.5 
  

100.0 
  

100.0 
  

 100.0 
  

 99.6 
  



 100.0 
  

- 
  

- 
  

- 
  

 99.8 
  

100.0 
  

100.0 
  

100.0 
  

 95.5 
  

 100.0 
  



- 
  

100.0 
  

100.0 
  

100.0 
  

100.0 
  

100.0 
  

100.0 
  

100.0 
  

 100.0 
  

 100.0 
  



 100.0 
  

100.0 
  

100.0 
  

 99.8 
  

100.0 
  

100.0 
  

100.0 
  

 99.5 
  

 97.6 
  

 100.0 
  



  Source: Common Services Agency, Information and Statistics Division.

  Data for 2000 are not shown as there was an incomplete BCG vaccination programme in Scotland that year, following the suspension of the programme across the UK in September 1999, due to vaccine supply difficulties.

  Data collected centrally do not record total school population by age cohort. It is therefore not possible to show what percentage of the school population, by age group, the numbers vaccinated represent.

Housing

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made with regard to the introduction of sellers’ or independent surveys for residential property transactions.

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects the Housing Improvement Task Force to bring forward recommendations on how the system of multiple surveys for housing transactions can be improved or replaced.

Jackie Baillie: As part of its work to examine issues which inhibit or encourage housing improvement, the Housing Improvement Task Force will consider the likely effect of providing better information as part of the house purchase process, taking account of proposals for sellers’ surveys and sellers’ packs.

  The Task Force will consider these issues and report back in two separate stages. The first stage report will be published early next year and will identify the barriers to housing improvement. The second stage report will identify solutions and make recommendations for change.

Housing (Scotland) Bill

Dr Winnie Ewing (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what impact its Housing (Scotland) Bill will have in each local authority area in the Highlands and Islands.

Jackie Baillie: The Housing (Scotland) Bill includes a number of measures designed to benefit both individual tenants and communities across Scotland including: enhanced rights for tenants; a new single regulatory framework with a single regulatory body to ensure a high level of housing management across the social rented sector; a strengthened strategic role for local authorities in planning and funding housing requirements in their area; and a number of measures to promote social inclusion and tackle homelessness. These measures will benefit each local authority area in the Highlands and Islands.

  As part of their strategic role, councils will be given responsibility for producing local housing strategies which identify the housing needs in their areas. The long-term detailed effect of the Bill on each of the local authority areas in the Highlands and Islands will depend to a significant extent on the problems and solutions which local authorities identify in their local housing strategies.

Information Technology

Dr Sylvia Jackson (Stirling) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in the discussions about how the e-Learning Foundation’s initiative on the provision of computer equipment for young people might apply in Scotland.

Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Executive is committed to tackling problems of digital inclusion and to achieving universal access to the web by 2005. A new Digital Inclusion Unit has been created within the Executive to take this work forward. A meeting between Executive officials and representatives of the e-Learning Foundation will take place shortly.

Justice

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to work with Her Majesty’s Government and international authorities to legislate to end the global sex slave trade.

Mr Jim Wallace: Responsibility for contacts with international authorities and for the laws on immigration and international trafficking in persons is reserved to the United Kingdom Government, with which the Scottish Executive is in regular contact on a wide range of issues.

  There are already provisions in Scots law to protect individuals from exploitation and abuse. No specific further legislation is presently planned, but the position is kept under review.

Local Government

Mr Keith Harding (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive why it did not issue a press release announcing the launch of its consultation on the draft Local Government (Timing of Elections) (Scotland) Bill.

Peter Peacock: Press releases are not routinely issued to draw attention to technical consultations such as this.

Mental Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive why the Mental Welfare Commission’s spending plans are reducing in real terms from £1.5 million in the current financial year to £1.4 million in 2001-02.

Susan Deacon: In December, when the Budget Documents were being prepared, the Executive had not completed consideration of the allocations to individual health bodies. Since then the Executive has decided to allocate £1,981,000 to the Mental Welfare Commission in 2001-02, an increase of over 31%.

Mental Health

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to establish a special unit for patients sent for psychiatric assessment by the courts.

Malcolm Chisholm: The NHS and other agencies will continue to offer a range of care settings and services available for those referred for assessment by the Courts. The individual needs and considerations will continue to inform which setting or service is appropriate in each case. There are no current plans for a dedicated unit.

Mobile Phones

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what impact subjecting mobile telephone masts less than 15 metres in height to full planning controls will have on the number of planning appeals submitted to local authorities.

Lewis Macdonald: This proposal is expected to lead to an increase in the number of planning applications made to local authorities.

  We also intend to issue planning guidance which would encourage system operators and planning authorities to build up informed working relationships and should create an environment of trust. We believe developing effective working relationships should minimise the number of planning appeals to the Scottish Ministers if full planning permission were required for all ground based masts. Generally speaking it is not in the interests of applicants or planning authorities to take cases as far as appeal, if they can be resolved by other means.

Mobile Phones

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what preparations it is making to ensure the planning system will continue to run smoothly in the event that mobile telephone masts less than 15 metres in height become subject to full planning controls.

Lewis Macdonald: The Executive is:

  finalising national planning policy by revising, in the light of the recent consultation exercise, its draft National Planning Policy Guideline on Planning and Radio Telecommunications which encourages planning authorities to make arrangements for dealing with applications expeditiously;

  preparing a Planning Advice Note on best practice for both planning authorities and telecommunications operators in dealing constructively with the development of telecommunications infrastructure;

  preparing a guidance Circular to accompany and explain the future legislative provisions.

Mobile Phones

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what impact subjecting mobile telephone masts less than 15 metres in height to full planning controls will have on the speed with which third generation mobile telephone technology will be deployed.

Lewis Macdonald: The introduction of full planning control for masts less than 15 metres (49 ft) in height would have the potential to affect the speed of development. However, we would also issue associated planning guidance which would encourage system operators to share their plans with planning authorities to process applications quickly. If planning authorities and operators were to follow the guidance, then, in practice, delays would, we, believe, be minimised.

Multiple Sclerosis

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many specialist multiple sclerosis (MS) nurses there were in each of the last three years; what the ratio of nurses to sufferers was in each year, broken down by health board and, further to the answer to question S1W-12859 by Susan Deacon on 9 February 2001, when the estimated number of MS sufferers for 2000 will be available.

Susan Deacon: Information regarding the number and ratio of specialist Multiple Sclerosis nurses is not available centrally.

  Estimates, based on Continuous Morbidity Recording (CMR) data, of the number of Multiple Sclerosis sufferers in Scotland in the year 2000 are now available.

  Information from the CMR System estimates that approximately 6,000 individuals were seen by General Practitioners, in respect of Multiple Sclerosis, in Scotland in 2000.

NHS Waiting Times

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-11227 by Susan Deacon on 8 January 2001, why the median waiting time for a first outpatient appointment with a consultant neurologist following GP referral in Grampian Health Board has increased from 37 days for the year ending 31 March 1999 to 77 days for the year ending 31 March 2000 and what action it plans to take to address this situation.

Susan Deacon: This is a matter for Grampian Health Board.

  The answer I provided to S1W-11227 showed that the median waiting time for a first outpatient appointment with a consultant neurologist following GP referral in the Grampian Health Board area, in the year ended 31 March 1999, was 63 days (not 37 days). Provisional figures for the nine months to 31 December 2000 indicate that this performance has improved to 61 days, a better performance than the average across Scotland.

National Lottery Funding

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether, if lottery funding from  sportscotland for elite athletes is only or mainly available to those participating in Olympic sports, it will instruct  sportscotland to reconsider this restriction in order that sportspeople participating in non-Olympic sports or non-Olympic forms of particular sports can receive lottery funding.

Allan Wilson: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-14809.

Organ Retention

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many letters it has received from Scottish Parents for a Public Enquiry into Organ Retention and how many it has replied to.

Susan Deacon: Since publication of the report on the first phase of the work of the independent Review Group on the Retention of Organs at Post-Mortem, four letters have been received from this group. A comprehensive reply was sent on 12 April, and has been copied to those MSPs who had asked to be informed of the terms of the response. The reply crossed with a further reminder from the group.

Parliamentary Questions

Mr Mike Rumbles (West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it provides members of the press with the text of minister’s opening answers to oral parliamentary questions and, if so, at what time these are made available.

Mr Tom McCabe: Copies of Ministers’ proposed opening answers are made available to media representatives in the gallery, to facilitate their reporting of proceedings, once Question Time has begun. However, the Executive is open to suggestions and comments on this process, which has arisen from custom and practice rather than in response to any particular requirement, either from the media or from the Executive. The Executive has an open mind on whether the practice continues or not, though it would want, as a matter of courtesy, to consult media representatives before making any changes. I would be happy to discuss it with Mr Rumbles if that would be helpful, in the first instance.

Parliamentary Questions

Mr Mike Rumbles (West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-14262 by Mr Alasdair Morrison on 17 April 2001, why this question was given a holding reply on 30 March 2001 when the substantive answer was a referral to an answer which had been given to question S1W-14121 on 26 March 2001.

Alasdair Morrison: There was no reason why question S1W-14262 could not have been answered on 30 March. This did not happen because of an oversight.

Police

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what financial impact the loss of Crown Exemption for police properties in respect of payment of non-domestic rates is expected to have on Tayside Police in 2001-02 and 2002-03.

Mr Jim Wallace: The total amount of police grant available in 2001-02, 2002-03 and subsequent years was increased to take full account of the abolition of Crown Exemption from non-domestic rates on operational properties. The budgets for individual forces are set by the relevant police authority or Joint Police Board.

Police

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the percentage of female officers was at each rank within each Scottish police force and within the Scottish Crime Squad at 31 March 2000 and when the comparative figure for 31 March 2001 will be available.

Mr Jim Wallace: The information is provided in the following table showing the position at 31 March 2000. Information for 31 March 2001 for each force is expected to be available in June 2001.

  

 

Chief Constable 
  

Asst. CC 
  

Super-Intendant 
  

Chief Inspector 
  

Inspector 
  

Sergeant 
  

Constable 
  



% 
  

% 
  

% 
  

% 
  

% 
  

% 
  

% 
  



Central 
  

0 
  

0 
  

0 
  

0 
  

5.5 
  

6 
  

16 
  



Dumfries & Galloway 
  

0 
  

0 
  

0 
  

0 
  

10 
  

4.4 
  

22.5 
  



Fife 
  

0 
  

0 
  

0 
  

7.7 
  

2.8 
  

3.6 
  

18.2 
  



Grampian 
  

0 
  

0 
  

0 
  

10.5 
  

2.7 
  

6.5 
  

20 
  



Lothian & Borders 
  

0 
  

0 
  

5.7 
  

8.3 
  

2.3 
  

8.2 
  

17.4 
  



Northern 
  

0 
  

0 
  

0 
  

0 
  

0 
  

4.5 
  

16.6 
  



Strathclyde 
  

0 
  

14 
  

0 
  

7.1 
  

3.2 
  

6.9 
  

18.5 
  



Tayside 
  

0 
  

0 
  

0 
  

0 
  

5.3 
  

8.3 
  

20.6 
  



Scottish Crime Squad 
  

0 
  

0 
  

0 
  

0 
  

0 
  

5.9 
  

22

Police

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the percentage of officers from ethnic minority groups is at each rank within each Scottish police force and within the Scottish Crime Squad.

Mr Jim Wallace: The information is provided in the following table showing the position at 31 March 2000. At that time there were no officers above the rank of Inspector.

  The Scottish Crime Squad (SCS), as at 1 April 2001, has one detective constable which represents less than 1% of officers at that rank within the SCS.

  

 

Inspector 
  

Sergeant 
  

Constable 
  


 

% 
  

% 
  

% 
  



Central 
  

0 
  

0 
  

0.4 
  



Dumfries & Galloway 
  

0 
  

0 
  

0.3 
  



Fife Constabulary 
  

0 
  

0 
  

0.5 
  



Grampian 
  

1.3 
  

0 
  

0.4 
  



Lothian & Borders 
  

0.8 
  

0 
  

0.5 
  



Northern Constabulary 
  

0 
  

0 
  

0.2 
  



Strathclyde 
  

0 
  

0.2 
  

0.8 
  



Tayside 
  

0 
  

0 
  

0.4 
  



Scottish Crime Squad 
  

0 
  

0 
  

0 
  



  These figures are taken from force’s Annual Statistical Returns for 1999-2000. Information for 31 March 2001 is expected to be available in June 2001.

Prison Service

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish its review of the Scottish Prison Service chaplaincy service; what level of consultation took place during this review, and which churches were involved in the review.

Mr Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  No formal review of Chaplaincy within the Scottish Prison Service is being undertaken.

  The provision for Chaplaincy is, like those of other services, continually kept under review by the SPS with the aims of ensuring best service for prisoners and best value for the taxpayer and arrangements are adjusted accordingly.

Prison Service

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will take action to ensure that further discussion takes place between the management of the Scottish Prison Service and the Scottish Prison Officers Association to attempt to resolve the current dispute over conditions of service and absence management.

Mr Jim Wallace: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  Discussions between the Scottish Prison Service and the Prison Officers Association seeking a national framework for resolving issues about staff attendance patterns, are continuing. Both parties aim to complete these talks by an early date.

  SPS has an agreed policy for managing absence which has been in operation since last year and does not, therefore, feature in these discussions.

Rail Services

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-12720 by Sarah Boyack on 6 February 2001, whether its guidance and directions for the renewal of Scottish passenger rail franchise will include reference to a requirement for the service quality and speed of rolling stock on rural and less profitable lines to be of the same standard as those on more popular and profitable lines.

Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive will indicate in broad terms in its Directions and Guidance the level of service it will expect from the new Scottish passenger rail franchise. It will be for those who wish to be considered as the operator of the franchise to propose the type of rolling stock most appropriate for different routes. The Strategic Rail Authority will then appraise such proposals on behalf of the Scottish Executive against value for money and affordability criteria.

Registers of Scotland

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what targets it expects the Registers of Scotland Executive Agency to achieve in the financial year 2001-2002.

Mr Jim Wallace: I have set the Registers of Scotland the following key targets for 2001-2002:

  For the Trading Fund to achieve a return of 3% on net capital employed over the 3-year period ending 31 March 2002.

  To reduce the standard production cost index by 3% by 31 March 2002 from its base at 31 March 2001.

  To continue the Land Register extension programme, by continuing to extend the operation of the Land Register to the County of Midlothian as an operational area; and by preparing for the transfer of the Counties of Inverness and Nairn on 1 April 2002.

  To maintain and enhance customer service through retention of the Charter Mark; by achieving a 97% rating for overall customer care; and by processing 95% of all other enquiries in compliance with the Registers of Scotland Customer Service Policy.

  To achieve recording and registration turnaround times:

  averaging 25, but not exceeding 35 working days for Sasine Writs;

  averaging 30, but not exceeding 40 working days for Dealings with Whole; and

  not exceeding 100 working days for 60% of Domestic First Registrations.

  To develop the Registers Direct Service and sign up 250 organisations to it by 31 March 2002.

  To achieve a registration accuracy of at least 98% during 2001-2002.

  Achievement of the new turnaround targets will represent an improvement in key product areas and ensure that homebuyers receive a quicker and more efficient service in the coming year. The transfer of Midlothian to the Land Register on 1 April represented a significant move towards the completion of the extension of the operation of the Land Register across Scotland, a process that is due to be completed by 2003.

Schools

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive when it plans to issue new guidance on the administration of medicines in schools, and whether such guidance will be supported by a scheme to ensure implementation and monitoring of the policy.

Mr Jack McConnell: Comments were sought on draft good practice guidance by 29 December 2000. The comments received have been considered and the draft guidance is now being amended in the light of those comments. Revised guidance will be issued once that process is complete. Implementation of the guidance will be a matter for Health Boards in conjunction with Education Authorities and consideration is also being given as to how this can be facilitated.

Schools

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to introduce legislation or any other measures regarding the placement of non-Roman Catholic pupils at Roman Catholic denominational schools.

Mr Jack McConnell: We have no current plans to change the legislation in this area.

Schools

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration it has given to the compatibility of the denial of a place at a Roman Catholic denominational school to a non-Roman Catholic on the grounds of faith with the European Convention on Human Rights.

Mr Jack McConnell: The arrangements for admission to schools, including priority for places in denominational schools are for local authorities to determine, who have responsibility to ensure that their policies comply with ECHR. I understand that a case is expected to be before the courts in the near future and it would therefore not be appropriate for me to comment further at this stage.

Sexual Exploitation

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking against those responsible for any incidence of sex slavery.

Mr Jim Wallace: The Scottish Executive deplores trafficking in people for the purposes of sexual exploitation.

  Responsibility for the laws on immigration and international trafficking of this kind is reserved to the United Kingdom Government.

  However, those involved in sexual exploitation could, under Scots law, be committing one or more of a variety of crimes, the most serious of which can attract up to life imprisonment.

Sexual Exploitation

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what efforts are being made to seek out females entrapped through sex slavery.

Mr Jim Wallace: The trafficking of women for sexual exploitation is a serious matter. The Police will rigorously investigate any information or complaints made to them about this. Scottish Police forces also work closely with other national and international law enforcement agencies. Anyone with information which relates to any suspected criminal activity in this area should therefore report it to the police.

Sexual Exploitation

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking in conjunction with Her Majesty’s Government to ensure that any victims of sex slavery in Scotland are returned to safety.

Mr Jim Wallace: The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the Home Office about a wide range of criminal justice matters. Scottish Police forces also work closely with other national and international law enforcement agencies.

  Anyone with information which relates to trafficking of women for sexual exploitation should report this to the Police. While the action taken by the Police is an operational matter for individual forces, the Police first need grounds to act. Thereafter, a number of agencies might be involved in providing support for any victims.

Smoking

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it has taken to ensure that money is available to fund nicotine replacement therapies as outlined in its announcement on 14 March 2001.

Susan Deacon: Health Boards received an average increase in Unified Budgets of 6.5% for 2001-02 to meet the healthcare needs of their local populations. This uplift is considered to be adequate to cover in year pressures on prescribing expenditure including those arising from the introduction of new therapies. Spending decisions are for Boards to make in the light of local needs, within a framework of national standards and priorities set by Ministers.

  An additional £3 million was allocated over 3 years to Health Boards in April 1999 for smoking cessation services, including the provision of one week’s free NRT to smokers least able to afford to buy these products.

Social Work

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average time is taken by each local authority to provide a social worker for a child identified as being in need of supervision by a children’s panel.

Nicol Stephen: This information is not available centrally at present. We will be monitoring the performance against national standards of all agencies involved in the processing of cases through the children’s hearings system.

Social Work

Brian Adam (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many vacancies there currently are for children’s social workers in each local authority area.

Nicol Stephen: This is a matter for local authorities. The information requested is not currently held centrally.

Sport

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it has taken to investigate the reasons behind Peter Nicol’s decision to play for England rather than Scotland; what conclusions any such investigation has reached and, in particular, to what extent any difference in the level of public funding available was found to be a contributory factor.

Allan Wilson: sportscotland has contacted the Squash Rackets Association (the sport’s governing body in England) and Sport England to ascertain what services Peter Nicol would receive from the World Class Performance Programme (WCPP). The results of these enquiries are set out in the answer to question S1W-14814.

  The WCPP operated by Sport England and UKSport will allow athletes at the top end of sports, which offer potentially high earnings, to receive lottery funded programmes. In Scotland, it is the policy to support athletes who demonstrate financial need and to cease funding athletes when they become self sufficient through earnings from their sport. As Peter Nicol has not contacted sportscotland with regard to any funding opportunities, since he was offered £15,000 in 1997, it is not possible to infer whether this policy difference was material to his decision.

Sport

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make representations to the Scottish Commonwealth Games Council and Scottish Squash requesting that they reconsider their reported intention to block Peter Nicol’s participation in the 2002 Commonwealth Games as an England player.

Allan Wilson: This is a matter for the Commonwealth Games Council for Scotland and Scottish Squash.

Student Finance

Iain Smith (North-East Fife) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to reform the means test for students under 25 with their own children to take into account students’ own incomes rather than the income of such students’ parents.

Ms Wendy Alexander: From 2001-02, parental income will not be taken into account for students under 25 if, prior to the start of the relevant academic year, the student is married or has supported him/herself from earnings or benefits for 3 years. Students are regarded as self-supporting for any period during which they have care of a dependent child who is under the age of 18.

  The Scottish Executive will be conducting a review of the means testing arrangements used for assessing contributions from parents, spouses and students towards the financial support provided to higher education students with a view to identifying further changes for academic year 2002/03. While the Executive currently has no plans to change the basis on which students are deemed to be self-supporting, we will clearly wish to consider carefully any representations received on that point.

Water

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how the cost of the artificial fluoridation of water compares with fluoridated drinks or tablets.

Susan Deacon: I refer the member to the answer given to S1W-14947, which gives initial estimates of the cost of fluoridating public water supplies. Directly comparable costs for fluoridated milk or tablets are not available, since such schemes would normally focus only on particular population groups, especially children.

Water Authorities

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether East of Scotland Water has any plans to change the ownership of the Carron Valley reservoir or to enter into partnership arrangements for the management of that reservoir and its associated distribution system.

Ross Finnie: This is an operational matter for the East of Scotland Water Authority and I have asked Dr Jon Hargreaves, Chief Executive of ESWA to reply. His response is as follows;

  East of Scotland Water has no plans to change the ownership of the Carron Valley reservoir or to enter into partnership arrangements for the management of that reservoir and its associated distribution system.

Water Authorities

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what rate of return was set for each of the water authorities and what actual rate of return was achieved for each of the last five years.

Ross Finnie: The current rate return set for each of the three water authorities is 6.5%.

  The figures requested may be calculated from those given in each of the water authorities’ published accounts. Copies of their accounts as laid before the Scottish Parliament, and pre-devolution, the Westminster Parliament, back to 1996-97 are held in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre. Bib. Numbers are as follows:

  


Water Authorities’ published accounts 
  

Scottish Parliament Information Centre – 
  Bib. Numbers 
  



NoSWA 
  

ESWA 
  

WoSWA 
  



1996-97 
  

97515 
  

12833 
  

12836 
  



1997-98 
  

12832 
  

12834 
  

12837 
  



1998-99 
  

4005 
  

12835 
  

4004 
  



1999-2000 
  

8790 
  

7898 
  

7925

Water Authorities

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what rate of return is envisaged for the proposed Scottish water authority.

Ross Finnie: The current Rate of Return for the three water authorities is 6.5%. Issues such as the Rate of Return will be settled if, in light of responses to the current consultation exercise on the Water Services Bill, the Executive decides to proceed with the creation of a single water authority.

Water Authorities

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the ratio is between net additional expenditure on fixed assets and net additional borrowings for each water authority for each of the last five years.

Ross Finnie: The figures requested may be calculated from those given in each of the water authorities’ published accounts. Copies of their accounts as laid before the Scottish Parliament, and pre-devolution, the Westminster Parliament, back to 1996-97 are held in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre. Bib. Numbers are as follows:

  


Water Authorities’ published accounts 
  

Scottish Parliament Information Centre – 
  Bib. Numbers 
  



NoSWA 
  

ESWA 
  

WoSWA 
  



1996-97 
  

97515 
  

12833 
  

12836 
  



1997-98 
  

12832 
  

12834 
  

12837 
  



1998-99 
  

4005 
  

12835 
  

4004 
  



1999-2000 
  

8790 
  

7898 
  

7925

Water Authorities

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what level of debt was inherited by each of the water authorities at vesting date and what subsequent interest charges have had to be paid each year since for each authority, giving separate figures for interest charges paid and penalties for redemption in relation to inherited debt.

Ross Finnie: The figures requested are given in each of the water authorities’ published accounts. Copies of their accounts as laid before the Scottish Parliament, and pre-devolution, the Westminster Parliament, back to 1996-97 are held in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre. Bib. Numbers are as follows:

  


Water Authorities’ published accounts 
  

Scottish Parliament Information Centre – 
  Bib. Numbers 
  



NoSWA 
  

ESWA 
  

WoSWA 
  



1996-97 
  

97515 
  

12833 
  

12836 
  



1997-98 
  

12832 
  

12834 
  

12837 
  



1998-99 
  

4005 
  

12835 
  

4004 
  



1999-2000 
  

8790 
  

7898 
  

7925

Water Fluoridation

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a breakdown of the estimated cost of the artificial fluoridation of water throughout Scotland.

Susan Deacon: Initial estimates by the Scottish water authorities suggest that fluoridating the water supplies where it is possible to do so, serving the majority of the population, would imply capital expenditure in the order of £29 million and annual running costs of £4 million. It is not practical technically to fluoridate some 15 per cent of public water supplies in Scotland. Some 2-3 per cent of the population is served by private water supplies. These costs might vary considerably if fluoridation schemes were introduced at local level at different times.